1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to supersaturating a liquid with a gas containing oxygen and more specifically to a counter current supersaturation oxygenation system, which enables oxygen supersaturation of a liquid.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,403 to Speece discloses a downflow bubble contact aeration apparatus and method. The Speece patent includes the aeration of oxygen deficient water by dispersing bubbles of air or oxygen gas in a forced downflow of water through a downwardly diverging funnel trapping the bubbles therein for a prolonged contact with water. However, Speece must use water under pressure to properly oxygenate the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,211 to Crane discloses a pressurized treatment of sewage. The Crane patent includes passing a liquor of the sewage into a subterranean shaft through an inner shaft, which extends only partway down into a deep subterranean shaft. A mixing shaft is located at a lower proximity of the inner shaft. The descending sewage liquor passes downwardly through the mixing nozzles to the bottom of the subterranean shaft.
U-tubes are known in the art and include a vertical shaft 30-150 feet deep, which is either partitioned into two sections or consisting of two concentric pipes. Oxygen is sparged at the top of the down-leg of the U-tube and is transferred into a gas-liquid mixture. The gas-liquid mixture exits an up-leg of the U-tube. However, U-tubes oxygenate a water stream at a top of the intake, which results in less efficient oxygenation of the water stream.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a counter current supersaturation oxygenation system, which enables a more efficient oxygen supersaturation of a liquid than that of the prior art and which does not require the use of pressurized water.